Your name was Miles Upshur.
In another life, you were a freelance investigative journalist...
In another life, you were a freelance investigative journalist...
A New Start [Outlast/Multicross]
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OP: Escape
SlugSLinger
Seeker of Originality
- Location
- Somewhere in the Jungles of S.E.A
Your name was Miles Upshur.
In another life, you were a freelance investigative journalist. You covered stories from all over the world, though not enough to earn you anything worthwhile. You lived alone in a small apartment in a small city whose name you didn't bother memorize, as you had enough stuff to remember in your line of work. Then you received an email from an anonymous source claiming to be working on something terrible hidden in Mount Massive Asylum.
Like the glory hounding idiot you were, you went there without a second thought in the hopes of exposing a secret terrible enough for one of its employees to tell you about it. What you found there changed you completely. Physically and mentally.
It also killed you.
You are no longer Miles Upshur. He died in the depth of Mount Massive, murdered by a corporation that wanted to keep their terrible deeds hidden and their mistake contained. Now you are something else.
Alp, Schrat, Mara, the Thing in the Dark, the Swarm, God.
The Walrider.
And currently, you have no idea what to do.
You stand outside the front gates of the Asylum, watching the red jeep that was once your- Miles' car as it drives off into the distance. As powerful as you are, you couldn't run down a car driving away that fast and you didn't want to risk further damaging your already beaten up body. At least, not until you could find a place to heal the damage. You sigh and look at the sky, soaking in the early morning warmth and the cool morning air as best as your banged up body could allow.
So, this was freedom? The ability to decide your own actions for yourself? It feels...
[] Great! You're out of that damned Morphogenic Engine and stretching your own legs for once. Awesome!
[] Hollow. You've finally escaped that accursed place, but at a price. It feels nice to finally be your own man, but...
[] Bitter. You were experimented on and it hurt. You were angry and you vented it all out, but how many of them deserved your anger? How many didn't?
But enough of that for now. Murkoff must've noticed the lack of communication from all of their goons that you killed. Which means they'll be sending in more to see what happened. if they see you and kill your body, they you'll be without a host. And without a host, you die.
Best make yourself scarce, then.
You limped back into the asylum courtyard and board one of the Murkoff tactical trucks. The engines are still running, which makes everything far easier for your escape. You won't be able to take the truck, they'll find it eventually, but you can at least use it get far enough away from here and use the headstart to go elsewhere. To start anew.
You already have a destination in mind
[] New York. A concrete jungle with over nine million people and countless places to hide.
[] Gotham City. A growing metropolis home to vigilantes and their criminal adversaries.
[] England. You have a few contacts there who can give you a place and a new name.
[] South Africa. A far out-of-the-way place with plenty of places to hide amidst all the spilled blood.
[] Japan. You've never actually been there, but you have a friend with favors you can call on who lives there.
A/N: *insert obligatory muse cursing here* So yeah, my muse got a little pushy and decided to make me do this. Please. Send help. Also, note that none of the offered options and the fictional settings they contain cross over into each other. Think of this as a jumpchain without the whole 'entering another universe' part.
In another life, you were a freelance investigative journalist. You covered stories from all over the world, though not enough to earn you anything worthwhile. You lived alone in a small apartment in a small city whose name you didn't bother memorize, as you had enough stuff to remember in your line of work. Then you received an email from an anonymous source claiming to be working on something terrible hidden in Mount Massive Asylum.
Like the glory hounding idiot you were, you went there without a second thought in the hopes of exposing a secret terrible enough for one of its employees to tell you about it. What you found there changed you completely. Physically and mentally.
It also killed you.
You are no longer Miles Upshur. He died in the depth of Mount Massive, murdered by a corporation that wanted to keep their terrible deeds hidden and their mistake contained. Now you are something else.
Alp, Schrat, Mara, the Thing in the Dark, the Swarm, God.
The Walrider.
And currently, you have no idea what to do.
You stand outside the front gates of the Asylum, watching the red jeep that was once your- Miles' car as it drives off into the distance. As powerful as you are, you couldn't run down a car driving away that fast and you didn't want to risk further damaging your already beaten up body. At least, not until you could find a place to heal the damage. You sigh and look at the sky, soaking in the early morning warmth and the cool morning air as best as your banged up body could allow.
So, this was freedom? The ability to decide your own actions for yourself? It feels...
[] Great! You're out of that damned Morphogenic Engine and stretching your own legs for once. Awesome!
[] Hollow. You've finally escaped that accursed place, but at a price. It feels nice to finally be your own man, but...
[] Bitter. You were experimented on and it hurt. You were angry and you vented it all out, but how many of them deserved your anger? How many didn't?
But enough of that for now. Murkoff must've noticed the lack of communication from all of their goons that you killed. Which means they'll be sending in more to see what happened. if they see you and kill your body, they you'll be without a host. And without a host, you die.
Best make yourself scarce, then.
You limped back into the asylum courtyard and board one of the Murkoff tactical trucks. The engines are still running, which makes everything far easier for your escape. You won't be able to take the truck, they'll find it eventually, but you can at least use it get far enough away from here and use the headstart to go elsewhere. To start anew.
You already have a destination in mind
[] New York. A concrete jungle with over nine million people and countless places to hide.
[] Gotham City. A growing metropolis home to vigilantes and their criminal adversaries.
[] England. You have a few contacts there who can give you a place and a new name.
[] South Africa. A far out-of-the-way place with plenty of places to hide amidst all the spilled blood.
[] Japan. You've never actually been there, but you have a friend with favors you can call on who lives there.
A/N: *insert obligatory muse cursing here* So yeah, my muse got a little pushy and decided to make me do this. Please. Send help. Also, note that none of the offered options and the fictional settings they contain cross over into each other. Think of this as a jumpchain without the whole 'entering another universe' part.
A New Life in Japan
SlugSLinger
Seeker of Originality
- Location
- Somewhere in the Jungles of S.E.A
[] Great! You're out of that damned Morphogenic Engine and stretching your own legs for once. Awesome!
[] Japan. You've never actually been there, but you have a friend with favors you can call on who lives there.
It takes you close to a year to escape the States.
Planning late in the night and into the early morning, running from hideout to the next with barely enough time to pack, the screams of those unfortunate or foolish enough to corner you in nondescript alleys. That was your life for those first four months after your escape; a blur of actions, gunfire, and blood, both yours and your pursuers.
Everywhere you went, Murkoff was close behind. Nobody could be trusted. Nowhere was safe. Every shadow was a threat in waiting, and every moment spent idle was one you could have used to further increased your chances of survival.
At least until the leak came out.
Apparently, there you weren't the only one to escape Mount Massive. A former Murkoff employee, Waylon Park, managed to survive and leave that place with a camcorder and documents filled with everything Murkoff did. Human rights groups, the government, even the UN turned their wrath on Murkoff and the company went up in smoke in less than a week.
You honestly laughed your guts out watching the live broadcast of the Murkoff CEOs being escorted out of their homes and taken to stand trial. You laughed harder when those fiends were sentenced to either death or life in a maximum security prison without parole.
Afterwards, it was all about gathering the funds needed to travel. Miles' ID was still usable, but you had exhausted most of his personal funds trying to elude Murkoff and survive. You worked whatever jobs were available, pulled double shifts when needed, and took Japanese learning classes whenever the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't easy, but you made it in the end and that's all that matters.
Once you got enough money, you booked the first flight available and dropped everything to travel to Japan. There was nothing but bad memories for you here in America, and suspected that Murkoff still had a few unseen operatives with orders to catch or kill you. Starting fresh was the only option you had.
From your seat on the plane, you peer out the window with detached interest as the clouds drift by. In your hands is the camcorder Miles brought with him to Mount Massive. You don't know why you kept it; the screen was cracked, it was covered with scratches and it still smelled like blood no matter how many times you cleaned it. But there was something in the way it felt in your hands. How you can remember where every scratch and ding on it was. How its weight in your hand feels comfortable beyond measure.
That last part wasn't you, of course. Maybe a leftover of Miles that stuck with you after you took over? Some kind of leftover emotional attachment?
You don't know. You don't care.
The plane lands three hours later. Waiting for you by the reception hall is a reedy man holding a piece of paper with your name on it. You recognize him as Murataka Takeshi, an associate of Miles from the time he had to cover a story in Africa. You walk to him and he leads you to one of the cafes in the airport lobby area. You make your orders and make small talk while you wait. Your food arrives a few minutes later.
"I'll admit, it was quite the surprise when you contacted me out of the blue. Moreso when you called in that favor I owed you." he starts, reaching down.
"Is that a problem?" you raise a brow, your powers lurking just beneath your skin and ready for use.
"Not at all." he hands you folder. Inside are papers, documents, and a few envelopes filled with Japanese currency. "I was anticipating this. Merely stating my thoughts." he gestures to the folder. "Inside is everything you need to start a new life here. I went ahead and provided you with a place to stay and several job opportunities in a separate envelope, as well as starting funds."
"I hope none of this was too bothersome for you." you apologized, eyes skimming the papers your- Miles' associate gave you. "I understand that it isn't easy to convince Japanese authority to look the other way..."
"Oh, you have no idea." Takeshi chuckles. "Had to call in a few favors of my own and piss off a couple of assholes, but I figured it's only fair after what you did for me."
"..." you look at the man, setting the folder and its contents aside for a moment. "How's your family doing?"
"They're fine." he smiles, warm and happy. "Made sure to follow your advice once I got back. I learned my lesson in Africa."
"The Hekmatyars are still looking for us, the last I heard." you shrugged, Miles' memories of a story gone wrong and a nightmarish escape from a group of pissed off arms dealer surfacing in your thoughts. "Though, that was what, five years ago? I doubt anyone can hold a grudge for that long."
"I'll be sure to keep any future vacation plans away from that hellhole, then." you watch him push aside his empty plate and rise. "It's good to see you again, Miles."
"You too, Takeshi." you offer a hand and he shakes it. "Take care."
"Considering you're the one fleeing to Japan, I think I should be the one saying that."
"I guess." you laugh. "See you around?"
"Yeah." he nods, smiling. "See you."
He leaves without another word and you're left to finish up your meal. Then you produce the folder and look through its contents properly. True to Takeshi's word, there are several job offers in the folder that favor individuals with your- Miles' skills. The residence he managed to get you isn't much, just a studio apartment with a good view of the city you'll be living in.
You produce another sheet of paper from the folder and look it over. On it, you spot your new name.
[] Write-in
Further down, you see the city you'll be living in. It's called:
[] Kuoh Town
[] Fuyuki City
[] Tokyo
[] Tatsumi Port Island
[] Japan. You've never actually been there, but you have a friend with favors you can call on who lives there.
It takes you close to a year to escape the States.
Planning late in the night and into the early morning, running from hideout to the next with barely enough time to pack, the screams of those unfortunate or foolish enough to corner you in nondescript alleys. That was your life for those first four months after your escape; a blur of actions, gunfire, and blood, both yours and your pursuers.
Everywhere you went, Murkoff was close behind. Nobody could be trusted. Nowhere was safe. Every shadow was a threat in waiting, and every moment spent idle was one you could have used to further increased your chances of survival.
At least until the leak came out.
Apparently, there you weren't the only one to escape Mount Massive. A former Murkoff employee, Waylon Park, managed to survive and leave that place with a camcorder and documents filled with everything Murkoff did. Human rights groups, the government, even the UN turned their wrath on Murkoff and the company went up in smoke in less than a week.
You honestly laughed your guts out watching the live broadcast of the Murkoff CEOs being escorted out of their homes and taken to stand trial. You laughed harder when those fiends were sentenced to either death or life in a maximum security prison without parole.
Afterwards, it was all about gathering the funds needed to travel. Miles' ID was still usable, but you had exhausted most of his personal funds trying to elude Murkoff and survive. You worked whatever jobs were available, pulled double shifts when needed, and took Japanese learning classes whenever the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't easy, but you made it in the end and that's all that matters.
Once you got enough money, you booked the first flight available and dropped everything to travel to Japan. There was nothing but bad memories for you here in America, and suspected that Murkoff still had a few unseen operatives with orders to catch or kill you. Starting fresh was the only option you had.
From your seat on the plane, you peer out the window with detached interest as the clouds drift by. In your hands is the camcorder Miles brought with him to Mount Massive. You don't know why you kept it; the screen was cracked, it was covered with scratches and it still smelled like blood no matter how many times you cleaned it. But there was something in the way it felt in your hands. How you can remember where every scratch and ding on it was. How its weight in your hand feels comfortable beyond measure.
That last part wasn't you, of course. Maybe a leftover of Miles that stuck with you after you took over? Some kind of leftover emotional attachment?
You don't know. You don't care.
The plane lands three hours later. Waiting for you by the reception hall is a reedy man holding a piece of paper with your name on it. You recognize him as Murataka Takeshi, an associate of Miles from the time he had to cover a story in Africa. You walk to him and he leads you to one of the cafes in the airport lobby area. You make your orders and make small talk while you wait. Your food arrives a few minutes later.
"I'll admit, it was quite the surprise when you contacted me out of the blue. Moreso when you called in that favor I owed you." he starts, reaching down.
"Is that a problem?" you raise a brow, your powers lurking just beneath your skin and ready for use.
"Not at all." he hands you folder. Inside are papers, documents, and a few envelopes filled with Japanese currency. "I was anticipating this. Merely stating my thoughts." he gestures to the folder. "Inside is everything you need to start a new life here. I went ahead and provided you with a place to stay and several job opportunities in a separate envelope, as well as starting funds."
"I hope none of this was too bothersome for you." you apologized, eyes skimming the papers your- Miles' associate gave you. "I understand that it isn't easy to convince Japanese authority to look the other way..."
"Oh, you have no idea." Takeshi chuckles. "Had to call in a few favors of my own and piss off a couple of assholes, but I figured it's only fair after what you did for me."
"..." you look at the man, setting the folder and its contents aside for a moment. "How's your family doing?"
"They're fine." he smiles, warm and happy. "Made sure to follow your advice once I got back. I learned my lesson in Africa."
"The Hekmatyars are still looking for us, the last I heard." you shrugged, Miles' memories of a story gone wrong and a nightmarish escape from a group of pissed off arms dealer surfacing in your thoughts. "Though, that was what, five years ago? I doubt anyone can hold a grudge for that long."
"I'll be sure to keep any future vacation plans away from that hellhole, then." you watch him push aside his empty plate and rise. "It's good to see you again, Miles."
"You too, Takeshi." you offer a hand and he shakes it. "Take care."
"Considering you're the one fleeing to Japan, I think I should be the one saying that."
"I guess." you laugh. "See you around?"
"Yeah." he nods, smiling. "See you."
He leaves without another word and you're left to finish up your meal. Then you produce the folder and look through its contents properly. True to Takeshi's word, there are several job offers in the folder that favor individuals with your- Miles' skills. The residence he managed to get you isn't much, just a studio apartment with a good view of the city you'll be living in.
You produce another sheet of paper from the folder and look it over. On it, you spot your new name.
[] Write-in
Further down, you see the city you'll be living in. It's called:
[] Kuoh Town
[] Fuyuki City
[] Tokyo
[] Tatsumi Port Island
Arrival in Fuyuki
SlugSLinger
Seeker of Originality
- Location
- Somewhere in the Jungles of S.E.A
[] Eric Edwards
[] Fuyuki City
The journey from the airport you were in to Fuyuki took you a few days, owing to the distance and some remnant paranoia leftover from your time eluding Murkoff. Even half a world away, you still have this odd feeling in your chest that something's watching you.
You shrug it off. It'll fade once you've settled into your new home and gotten a job.
The bus you're on exits a tunnel and you catch your first glimpse of Fuyuki. The sun is only beginning to crest over the horizon and the city is only just starting to rouse itself out from sleep. The bright glare silhouettes the taller skyscrapers like some sort of art piece from an art museum of some kind. You take it all in, and let a satisfied smile stretch across your face.
This is going to be a good start to a new life. You just know it.
You thank the driver as you disembark from the vehicle, collecting your belongings as you do. Two large travelling bags, one to hold your clothes and other important things and one to hold the equipment you got from scavenging the Murkoff tactical truck you borrowed during your first few hours of freedom. The weight of the rifle and tactical garb almost doesn't register to you, but you attribute that to the increased physical strength of your host body.
You both over a shoulder with one arm and proceed down the sidewalk, following the directions on the paper Takeshi gave you to your new residence. It takes you a few hours but you reach the small apartment building easily.
You greet the landlord as you arrive, explaining yourself as the new tenant settling in to the vacant apartment. The old man scrunches his brows for a moment before remembering and offering to take you up to your new home. His gait is slow and he can barely see straight, but he still manages to lead you up to the door of your new home and shows you around.
"It's perfect." you tell him, bowing. "Thank you for the tour, Haragumi-san."
"it's no trouble at all, young man." the older man waves you off. "Do enjoy your stay here. My apartment is on the first floor; if you need anything or have any question then feel to swing by."
"I will." you nod. "Thank you again."
Once he leaves, you settle into your living room sofa and take a moment to luxuriate in the peace and quiet. Finally, no more running. No more late night planning. No more killing. Just you living your ordinary life in a small city on a country far away from anyone interested in what you really are.
...What now, though?
[] Job Hunting. Takeshi did you a favor and helped further by listing what jobs were available in Fuyuki. Most of them don't pay much but are right up your alley, so all you have to do is walk in for an interview and bam! You're employed.
- [] Dockhand
- [] Highschool Teacher
- [] Restaurant Cook
- [] Bus driver
[] Exploring. You're in an unfamiliar city, on a foreign country you've never been to, half a world away from your old homeland. Getting used to the people here and knowing where to go when you need to is a must.
[] Refinement. Your ability to channel your powers through your host played a key factor in allowing you to keep away from Murkoff for as long as you did. Though you're no longer being pursued, it's always helpful to have an ace or two up your sleeve.
- [] Inhuman Strength 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Flight 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Intangibility 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Regeneration 1 (Training DC: 20)
[] Ability Training. Your abilities are at their fullest when you are outside your host body. But the abilities themselves are not yet at their greatest form. Time to change that.
- [] Body Possession 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Inhuman Strength 4 (Training DC: 50)
- [] Flight 3 (Training DC: 40)
- [] Intangibility 3 (Training DC: 40)
- [] Regeneration 3 (Training DC: 40)
[] Fuyuki City
The journey from the airport you were in to Fuyuki took you a few days, owing to the distance and some remnant paranoia leftover from your time eluding Murkoff. Even half a world away, you still have this odd feeling in your chest that something's watching you.
You shrug it off. It'll fade once you've settled into your new home and gotten a job.
The bus you're on exits a tunnel and you catch your first glimpse of Fuyuki. The sun is only beginning to crest over the horizon and the city is only just starting to rouse itself out from sleep. The bright glare silhouettes the taller skyscrapers like some sort of art piece from an art museum of some kind. You take it all in, and let a satisfied smile stretch across your face.
This is going to be a good start to a new life. You just know it.
x-x-x-x-x
You thank the driver as you disembark from the vehicle, collecting your belongings as you do. Two large travelling bags, one to hold your clothes and other important things and one to hold the equipment you got from scavenging the Murkoff tactical truck you borrowed during your first few hours of freedom. The weight of the rifle and tactical garb almost doesn't register to you, but you attribute that to the increased physical strength of your host body.
You both over a shoulder with one arm and proceed down the sidewalk, following the directions on the paper Takeshi gave you to your new residence. It takes you a few hours but you reach the small apartment building easily.
You greet the landlord as you arrive, explaining yourself as the new tenant settling in to the vacant apartment. The old man scrunches his brows for a moment before remembering and offering to take you up to your new home. His gait is slow and he can barely see straight, but he still manages to lead you up to the door of your new home and shows you around.
"It's perfect." you tell him, bowing. "Thank you for the tour, Haragumi-san."
"it's no trouble at all, young man." the older man waves you off. "Do enjoy your stay here. My apartment is on the first floor; if you need anything or have any question then feel to swing by."
"I will." you nod. "Thank you again."
Once he leaves, you settle into your living room sofa and take a moment to luxuriate in the peace and quiet. Finally, no more running. No more late night planning. No more killing. Just you living your ordinary life in a small city on a country far away from anyone interested in what you really are.
...What now, though?
[] Job Hunting. Takeshi did you a favor and helped further by listing what jobs were available in Fuyuki. Most of them don't pay much but are right up your alley, so all you have to do is walk in for an interview and bam! You're employed.
- [] Dockhand
- [] Highschool Teacher
- [] Restaurant Cook
- [] Bus driver
[] Exploring. You're in an unfamiliar city, on a foreign country you've never been to, half a world away from your old homeland. Getting used to the people here and knowing where to go when you need to is a must.
[] Refinement. Your ability to channel your powers through your host played a key factor in allowing you to keep away from Murkoff for as long as you did. Though you're no longer being pursued, it's always helpful to have an ace or two up your sleeve.
- [] Inhuman Strength 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Flight 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Intangibility 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Regeneration 1 (Training DC: 20)
[] Ability Training. Your abilities are at their fullest when you are outside your host body. But the abilities themselves are not yet at their greatest form. Time to change that.
- [] Body Possession 1 (Training DC: 20)
- [] Inhuman Strength 4 (Training DC: 50)
- [] Flight 3 (Training DC: 40)
- [] Intangibility 3 (Training DC: 40)
- [] Regeneration 3 (Training DC: 40)
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